Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 551.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Fisimp 551xe2x80x99.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous Impatiens cultivars that flower relatively early with large rounded flowers and attractive flower colors.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor in July, 1998 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,520, as the female, or seed, parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Danharmgta, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,093, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Fisimp 551 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal in March, 1999.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Moncarapacho, Portugal, since March, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Fisimp 551xe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Fisimp 551xe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:
1. Upright and outwardly spreading, tall and uniformly mounded plant habit.
2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.
3. Large rounded red purple-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.
4. Dark green-colored leaves.
Plants of the new Impatiens are most similar to plants of the female parent, the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens had shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red.
3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger and flatter flowers than plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were red purple in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red were closer to cherry red in color.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Danharmgta. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Danharmgta in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger and more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Danharmgta.
2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were slightly lighter red purple in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Danharmgta.
Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Fisimp 102, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently, differ primarily in flower color.